Improvement in mechanical firing



above the fire.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL DANKS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANICAL FIRING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,275, dated June 27, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL DANKS, of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Method of Mechanical Firing, of which v the following is a specification:

My invention relates to feeding coal to a furnace or any grate requiring a high temperature by means of a revolving auger, in such a manner that, first, the combustion of coal so fed is far more perfect than when fed in the ordinary way, and, by this more perfect combustion,v thus economizing. heat; second, that slack or fine coal as Well as coarser coal maybe fed to the furnace and with equally good results; and; third, that a continuous supply of coal may be kept up fourth, that much labor is saved in putting the coal into the grate. In these respects my invention is greatly superior to all methods of iiring furnaces and the like now in use.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this speeilication, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of a hopper, auger, and grate, showing my invention as applied to the grate of the furnace. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of same, through the center of the grate-bars, at the dotted lines P P of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe same. Fig. 4 is an augerof the form usually employed in my invention.

B are the grate-bars forming the grate upon which the fire rests. F is the body of the fire, occupying the space between the grate-barsand the dotted line S. Dis the space in the furnace E is the ash-pit below the grate. H is a hopper of triangular form. W is a Wall of the furnace, and separates the grate from the hopper. A is a large auger in the bottom of the hopper. This auger is usually five inches in diarneter and six inches in pitch. One end of this auger passes through a circular hole in the wall W. This hole is just the diameter of the largest diameter of the pitchof the auger, so that the auger tits closely in the hole. This hole is usually about the middle of the vertical height of the tire. The shaft X of the auger passes through that rear side of the hopper opposite to the grate, and extends beyond the side. Upon this extension of the shaft is attached a crank, I, with handle, M, by which the auger is turned around.

In reference to the above dimensions of the auger it may be here remarked that I do not confine myself to any particular size of auger, hopper, or grate, but claim the right to vary the respective dimensions as experience may dictate; also, I do not limit myselffto the employment of a crank as the only means of causing the auger to revolve. I claim the right to employ any description of machinery and' running-gear which I may find most suitable for the driving of the auger, or of two or more angers. v

C represents coal; th's may be fine or coarse coal, as desired. The pitch ofthe auger employed will, of course, vary with the ineness or coarseness of the coal used. I do not limit myself to the employment of one auger with a grate, but if the grate or furnace be large I use two or three or more with said grate, as experience may dictate.

The mode in which my invention operates is very simple. I fill the hopper H with, say, fine coal C. A re, F, having been kindled in the chamber D, whenever it is desirable to feed the fire with fresh coa-1 I cause the auger to lrevolve at any desired velocity by taking hold of the handle M and turning the crank; or, if other variety of mechanical power is employed, then by setting that in motion, taking care that the spiral of the auger moves toward the fire. As the auger revolves the coal in the hopper is forced by the auger into the middle of the fire. The coal can be fed as fast or as slow as desired by increasing or decreasing the velocity with which the auger revolves.

A few words as to the reasons why my new method of firing is superior to the ordinary methods. Ordinarily the coal is cast upon the top of the fire. When this is done the temperature of the furnace is lowered, as follows, viz.-the immense volume of gas suddenly liberated, which, from not being sufficiently heated, and also from an insufficiency of air, is prevented from igniting and then, second, the moisture upon the fresh coal is instantly converted into steam and lls the furnace above the lire. As the temperature of the steam is below that required for ignition the temperature of the furnace is still further lowered, and thus the steam combines with the insufficiency of air to prevent the ignition of the gases. The lire, by this method of feeding, is improperly dampened, and a large proportion of the gases so suddenly generated pass oi' from the re and escape unconsumed through the chimney,

and the heat which might have been obtained from their ignition in the furnace, and so utilized, is Wasted. Slack coal fed as above to furnaces is much more troublesome and liable to Waste than coarse coal; hence its use has been discarded.

By my improved method of firin g a continuous supply of coarse coal, or more usually slack or line coal, which I use with great success by my method, is fed to the lire. As the auger is placed at the vertical center of the body of the lire the coal is fed at the center of the lire. The gases are thrown oil' continually, but having to pass through incandescent coke or fuel in order to escape, are heated to a suiicient temperature by the time they reach the upper surface of the fire to easily ignite upon coming into Contact with the air-blast driven into the space in the iirechamber above the surface of the lire, and they do so ignite. y

My improved method of liring, first, prevents the lowering of the temperature of the fire; second, and thereby, together with securing the steady feeding of the tire and the steady consumption of the gases, enables a very uniform and very high temperature, both of which. are very desirable, to be maintained. Third, it econoinizes fuel by consuming the gases thrown off from the fuel while burning. Fourth, it saves manual labor and simplifies the feeding of furnaces by dispensing with the skill necessary for feeding in the ordinary methods.

What I claim as my invention is- The hopper H, located at the side of the grate, and having the auger A in the bottom thereof, by which the fuel is fed directly'to the grate without the aid of a blast or other auxiliary, substantially as described.

Witnesses: SAMUEL DANKS.

R. T. CLARKE, WM. G. Hosea. 

